A poster designed and presented at a workshop organised by RCUK

Boucher, Andy

Bowers, John

Cameron, David

Gabrys, Jennifer

Gaver, William

Jarvis, Nadine

Kerridge, Tobie

Michael, Mike

Wilkie, Alex

English

Goldsmiths Research Online

GOLDSMITHS Research OnlinePrinted Ephemera Boucher, Andy, Bowers, John, Cameron, David, Jarvis, Nadine, Gabrys, Jennifer, Gaver, William, Kerridge, Tobie, Michael, Mike and Wilkie, AlexSustainability, Invention and Energy Demand Reduction: Co-designing Communities and PracticeYou may cite this version as: Boucher, Andy, Bowers, John, Cameron, David, Jarvis, Nadine, Gabrys, Jennifer, Gaver, William, Kerridge, Tobie, Michael, Mike and Wilkie, Alex, 2010. Sustainability, Invention and Energy Demand Reduction: Co-designing Communities and Practice. [Printed Ephemera]: Goldsmiths Research Online.Available at: http://eprints.gold.ac.uk/4782/This document is the author’s final manuscript version of the journal article, incorporating any revisions agreed during peer review. Some differences between this version and the publisher’s version remain. You are advised to consult the publisher’s version if you wish to cite from it. Copyright © and Moral Rights for the papers on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners.http://eprints-gro.goldsmiths.ac.ukContact Goldsmiths Research Online at: lib-eprints@gold.ac.ukTeam MembersProfessor Mike Michael: Principal Investigator Dr. Jennifer Gabrys:  Co-Investigator Professor Bill Gaver: Co-Investigator Mr. Tobie Kerridge: Research Fellow Dr. Alex Wilkie: Research Fellow Design Research Assistant Technical Research Assistant Aims and Objectives The project investigates the co-design of energy demand reduction technologies and communities of practice. Using methods from design, sociology and science and technology studies, the research explores how affect, ambiguity and aesthetics as well as functionality might enable communities to take creative ownership of technologies and systems of energy demand reduction (what we call ‘sustainability invention’).MethodsThe project entails a three-stage formative research process. At each stage, coupled longer-term engagement phases and participant events will be used to create and research an increasingly large and diverse community of practice and to develop relevant technological prototypes for energy demand reduction.Stage OneWe will engage with relevant communities to investigate strategies for energy-demand reduction and to recruit volunteers for a newly-formed community around the project.Stage ThreeRegular ethnographic engagement with this community will record volunteers’ complex views on the prototypes and their impact on emerging technical and social practices related to energy demand reduction. The results, along with other materials will be presented to a broader public in a launch event and exhibition. The aim is to engender creative discussion and debate around matters of trust, responsibility and community ownership of energy demand reduction.Stage TwoThe team will design, batch-produce and implement speculative technological prototypes. These (playful, ambiguous and evocative, as well as instrumental) prototypes will be introduced to the volunteer community as part of a large-scale, extended field trial.The aim is to engender creative discussion and debate around matters of trust, responsibility and community ownership of energy demand reduction.Sustainability, Invention and Energy Demand Reduction: Co-designing Communities and PracticeWhat help, information, advice, support etc.  would you most appreciate from colleagues?Advice on contacts, literature and initiatives. Suggestions for existing energy communities who might like to be involved.Challenges… Recruiting volunteers/producing community. Ensuring complexity of prototypes.…and opportunitiesDeveloping interdisciplinary synergies.Your biggest problems?Recruiting into a very particular design role.What can you can offer others?New perspective/methodology/problematique on community of practice and technology.What is the most exciting part of the project?Chronic contingencies associated with speculative design.What scares the team the most?Chronic contingencies associated with  speculative design.Centre for the Study of Invention and Social Process, Department of SociologyInteraction Research Studio, Department of Design, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, UK. Telephone: + 44 (0)20 7919 7171  For enquiries please contact Mike Michael: m.michael@gold.ac.uk

Sustainability, Invention and Energy Demand Reduction: Co-designing Communities and Practice

Sustainability, Invention and Energy Demand Reduction: Co-designing Communities and Practice

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